Winter Festival returns Feb. 8

Friday

Jan 31, 2014 at 6:00 AM

By Lynne Klaft ITEM CORRESPONDENT

LANCASTER — Dust off your silly winter hat, get your taste buds ready for some really fine chili, and lace up those ice skates that you just got for Christmas. Winter Festival is back by popular demand.

The Saturday, Feb. 8 event will be centered around the newly-constructed ice skating rink behind the library and the old Memorial School building, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Hosted by the Thayer Field Foundation, Winter Festival will be bringing back outdoors ice skating, free skating lessons, cross country skiing and snow shoeing demonstrations by Eastern Mountain Sports, a snowman building contest, ice sculptures, an art show and a silly hat contest.

Members Cliff McMullan and Win Clark were at the selectmen's meeting Monday night to announce the event. They said it couldn't have been done without the help of many volunteers and thanked the Department of Public Works for the help they received building the skating rink, installing lights for the rink and building the sledding hill for the Winter Festival.

"They definitely get kudos for all the work they have done, the support they have given the efforts to revitalize the Thayer Memorial Park. They brought us loads of wood chips to go around the rink, and are lending us a generator for Winter Festival. Thanks go to the whole department from the commissioners to the superintendent to all the guys. We couldn't have done it without them," said Sue Smiley, who is a member of the Thayer Field Campus Committee, as well as a selectman.

Music and publicity for the event are being handled by Wachusett Music's Denise Hurley. She has arranged for singers and the drum circle event for 3:30 p.m., just before the bonfire is lit by the Lancaster Fire Department. Residents are urged to bring their percussion instruments, anything from a bucket to bongos, to participate in the drum circle.

Don't have a drum? Wear your silliest hat for a contest at 3 p.m.

The Lancaster adult coed softball league will have a snow softball game, which residents can sign up for and join. The game starts around 11:30 a.m.

The Cub Scouts will be coordinating the Mommy/Daddy Iditarod races, and there will be all day skating with lessons given by Todd Omlor and Chuck Hughes.

A chili contest is being coordinated by Lancaster resident and business owner Jim Buck of Anytime Fitness, in Clinton. There are eight entries so far; residents are invited to taste test all of the entries.

Volunteers will be selling popcorn, baked goods and raffle tickets to benefit the ongoing campus project. Thai Time will have a food booth for lunch time.

The Lancaster EMS will be collecting gently used winter gear — coats, hats and mittens — to donate to WHEAT Community Connection.

The Worcester County Sheriff's Office will be demonstrating the new IRIS recognition program aimed at identifying missing children and seniors. The Historical Society will have an information booth and old winter photos of Lancaster

With all of the activities and events scheduled, Smiley says her favorite part of the day is just seeing so many of her fellow Lancastrians having fun.

"Winter is my favorite season and I love seeing the community coming together," Smiley said.

Activities are being added to the event; the latest updates are on: www.thayerfield.org.

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